Unlock Democracy Management Board

Minutes
11
th
September 2012
Present
Vicky Seddon (chair), Stuart Weir, Phil Starr, Mary Southcott, Stuart Hill, Danny Zinkus-
Sutton (via Skype)
Apologies
Peter Hirst, Finola elly
In attendance
Peter Facey, !le" #uns$ick, Dan Flana%an
1 Minutes and Matters Arising
&he 'inutes o( the 'eetin% o( )*
th
+uly ),-) $ere approved as a correct record, includin%
the con(idential 'inute.
Vicky en/uired $hether sta(( had 0een asked i( they $ant a sa(ety representative. Peter
said he $ould ask sta(( to'orro$ 'ornin%.
Peter said he $ould 0e sendin% our response to the PM1 report to +##& 0y the end o( the
$eek. He said he hadn2t discussed our response $ith the' yet.
&here $ere no other 'atters arisin%.
2 inances! Sta""! Admin
Management accounts
Peter reported that $ith respect to the (inances, the Mana%e'ent !ccounts sho$ed that
inco'e $as do$n on $hat $as e"pected and e"penses $ere also do$n 0ut not as 'uch as
e"pected. Peter said 3)4,,,, had co'e in (ro' +##& since these accounts $ere dra(ted.
He said thin%s $ere ti%ht and sta(( had 0een told to 0e care(ul in their spendin%. He said the
5ords 'ailin% $ith a (inancial ask had 0een pulled 0ecause the %overn'ent had dropped
the proposals, $hich had 'eant 'issin% out on an e"pected 36-7k inco'e. ! 'ailin% (or the
!1M $ould shortly 0e %oin% out $ith a hard (undraisin% ask to (ill this short(all.
&he proposal to alter the variance policy (or the 8nlock De'ocracy Mana%e'ent !ccounts
$as discussed.
It was agreed that notes should be given for variances of 5% of the annual budget
cost or 1000+/-, whichever is the lesser, provided that the 5% variance is at least
500
With re%ard to the #odell !ccounts, Phil asked i( there $ere any pro0le's $ith the lack o(
rental (or the 0ase'ent o((ice at 1ray2s 9nn #oad. Peter replied that $e are paid up until the
end o( the (inancial year and only need 'oney co'in% in (ro' Fe0ruary. Vicky asked i(
there had 0een any en/uiries re%ardin% the 0ase'ent o((ice and Peter said yes 0ut a lettin%
had (allen throu%h at the last 'inute. Mary asked $hat $heelchair access the 0uildin% had
and Peter replied that it $as not possi0le to 'ake this 0uildin% accessi0le $ithout the
addition o( a li(t 0ut that 'eetin%s can 0e 'oved to an appropriate site i( this is re/uired.
The accounts were received
Sta""ing
!an left the "eeting for this ite".

i) Sa00atical sta((in%
!le" #uns$ick spoke to her paper and outlined current practice and her proposals (or
sta((in% durin% Peter2s sa00atical. Stuart Hill ta0led a 'otion that in addition to /uotin% rule
).* (ro' 8nlock De'ocracy2s constitution on e/uality o( opportunity stated that:
&he Mana%e'ent ;oard a%rees that cover (or the (ull ran%e o( duties currently
undertaken 0y the Deputy $ill 0e provided 0y a -) 'onth (i"ed ter' appoint'ent
(ollo$in% an open recruit'ent e"ercise.
&here $as a $ide ran%in% discussion e"plorin% $hether $e $ere lookin% (or continuity or
chan%e at this <uncture, the need to 0e a0le to o((er our sta(( tea' opportunities to develop
their careers $ithin the or%anisation, ho$ to e((ect our principles o( e/uality o( opportunity, a
desire to 0rin% in ne$ skills and perspectives as $ell as a keen a$areness o( 0ud%et
constraints that the or%anisation (aces.
Stuart2s 'otion $as put to the vote.
There were # votes in favour and # votes against, so the "otion was not carried
&he proposals outlined in the paper $ere then put to the vote.
There were # votes in favour and # votes against, so the "otion was not carried
!(ter (urther discussion the proposal to appoint a Parlia'entary and Policy =((icer
advertised at salary ran%e o( %rade >-D (rather than at %rade > as ori%inally proposed in
the paper) $as put to the vote.
There were $ votes in favour and % abstentions so this proposal was carried
It was further agreed that &le' should prepare another paper on the outstanding
issues to be discussed at the ne't (anage"ent )oard "eeting
ii) >ost o( livin% increase
Peter ta0led data on the (inancial i'plications o( increasin% sta(( salaries 0y either #P9 or
>P9. He then proposed that rather than si'ply usin% these 'easures o( cost o( livin% $hen
revie$in% sta(( salaries the or%anisation should also look to increase its pension contri0ution
$hich at ?@ (?.4@ i( the individual also contri0utes at least ).4@) is considera0ly lo$er
than reco''ended 0y pensions e"perts. He re'inded Mana%e'ent ;oard that it is
reco''ended that people save -,@ o( their salary in their pension and that $hile 8nlock
De'ocracy had (ro' so'e years intended to increase its pensions contri0ution this had
proved di((icult to achieve. Peter proposed that sta(( salaries 0e increased 0y *@ 0ut that
the or%anisation2s contri0ution to their pension $as also increased 0y ,.4@ as lon% as sta((
$ere already contri0utin% at least ).4@ o( their salary to their pension. He con(ir'ed that as
a salary increase had 0een (actored into the 0ud%et, 0ased on >P9, this $ould 0e 0ud%et
neutral.
&here $as discussion a0out the relative 'erits o( >P9 and #P9 and co'parators across the
voluntary sector. 9t $as a%reed $ithout a vote that usin% #P9 in this (inancial cli'ate $ould
not 0e advisa0le. Vicky re'inded Mana%e'ent ;oard that a salary revie$ had 0een
conducted $hen then ne$ contracts $ere introduced ) years a%o.
&he proposal $as put to a vote.
There were $ votes in favour and % abstentions so the proposal was carried
It was further agreed that for the ne't financial *ear there should be a review of
salar*, cost of living ad+ust"ents and pension contributions co"paring our
arrange"ents with those across the voluntar* sector
#ealth and Sa"ety
!le" reported that an occupational therapist $ould 0e attendin% the o((ice in li%ht o( so'e
0ack pro0le's sta(( had e"perienced, $hich 'ay 0e due to the uneven (loor on the second
(loor.
undraising
Peter e"plained that a %rant application had 0een su0'itted to +#>& (or S>! $ork and that
$e had started our (ollo$-up application to the +##&. He said $e $ere preparin% an
application to the =ak Foundation on voter re%istration and Stuart Weir $as preparin% a 0id
to +#>& on 9A#. Peter also said $e had su0'itted a second round 0id to the Bo'inet &rust
(or an e"peri'ent in ="(ordshire to see i( Vote'atch increases turnout in elections. Mary
asked i( an application had 0een su0'itted on devolution and Peter replied that $e $ould
0e havin% a 'eetin% $ith +##& to discuss this.
$ontact %ist
Stuart Hill asked a0out the contact list and Peter said the $e0site no$ has a 0io pa%e and
telephone nu'0er (i( per'ission had 0een %iven) and a (or' to e-'ail >ouncil 'e'0ers.
Peter said sta(( do not %et copies o( e'ails sent to individual >ouncil 'e'0ers, only e-'ails
sent to all o( >ouncil.
& Membership
! list o( ne$ 'e'0ers $as circulated (or approval.
The new "e"bers were approved
' $ampaigns(Pro)ects
Acti*ist Day
Peter e"plained that an activist day $ith the A#S had 0een scheduled (or ),
th
=cto0er 0ut
this clashed $ith the &8> rally so there $as a concern this $ould considera0ly a((ect
attendance. ! short discussion ensued and it $as a%reed that $e $ould try to rearran%e this
and our pre(erred date $ould 0e the -
st
Dece'0er, su0<ect to discussions $ith the A#S.
+oter registration
Peter stated there $as nothin% to report.
%ords ,e"orm
Peter e"plained that $e had a 'eetin% $ith 5i0 De' Special !dvisors 0ut there $as nothin%
su0stantive to report, 0ut 'ore appoint'ents $ere likely. Stuart Weir reco''ended that
rather than snipe on an on%oin% 0asis a0out pro0le's $ith the 5ords, $e pull all the
di((erent 0its to%ether and %o (or one 0i% hit. Peter said he $ould need to %o a$ay and think
a0out that. Mary su%%ested that $e attack the >o''ons as $ell as the 5ords.
+ote Match
Peter in(or'ed the M; that $e $ould 0e launchin% Vote Match (or the 8S Presidential
Alection at the end o( the 'onth. He added that there $as a plannin% 'eetin% in ;erlin on
-4
th
=cto0er (or our 1rundtvi% Vote'atch pro<ect (or the Auropean Alections.
S$A
Peter advised that the (ocus $as no$ on %ettin% councils to opt in to use the !ct and people
involved a%ain. Vicky said she had received our re/uest to contact local councillors a0out
optin% in.
Party unding
Peter said there $as nothin% to report.
%obbying
!le" e"plained that >hloe S'ith $as the ne$ Minister in char%e o( lo00yin% and $e $ould
0e $ritin% to her and also hi%hli%htin% that -,,, people $ere i%nored on the %overn'ent2s
consultation. 9n relation to the Scottish lo00yin% consultation, Danny e"plained that a letter
had %one to the Minister (ro' or%anisations askin% (or a 'eetin%. Peter said $e $ould 0e
doin% an e-'ail action to Scottish supporters and that he $ould 0e speakin% at a Fil'
Festival in 1las%o$ on the issue on ?
rd
C*
th
=cto0er. Danny added that they have a pu0lic
'eetin% on )4
th
=cto0er.

$ounting -omen In .$-I/
!le" advised that the reshu((le had 0een 0ad ne$s (or $o'en and the >W9 have done a
dossier to do$nload on $ho has 'oved in the reshu((le. &he 9ndependent on Sunday
launch o( this ho$ever had not used the correct 0randin% 0ut that press covera%e in the run
up to it had 0een %ood.
De*olution
Peter in(or'ed M; that +##& $ere co'in% in on -7
th
Septe'0er to have a discussion on
the An%lish Duestion, over 'atters such as identity, national /uestions and decentralisation.
&he people co'in% in (ro' +##& $ould 0e &ina Day and Mandy Mc>or'ack.
0 A121B
!le" in(or'ed M; that Zoe Stavri had started as >o''unications !ssistant and $ould 0e
doin% 'ore co''ent pieces, +on Barcross had also started as +ack MaiEels2 replace'ent
as #esearch !ssistant and !'eneh Anayat $as due to start on )6
th
Septe'0er as 5ocal
Works =utreach Specialist.
Stuart Hill said he thou%ht $e needed to %et 'ore discussion %oin% on the $e0site as not
'any people $ere co''entin% on our storiesC0lo%s. !le" responded that $as one o( the
reasons $e had recruited Zoe and she e"pected this to i'prove. !le" added that lots o(
co''ents also are 'ade on other sites such as Face0ook and &$itter $here the 0lo%s are
also posted. She $ould prepare so'e stats (or the ne"t M; 'eetin%.
>opies o( the !nnual #eport $ere circulated, and an e-'ail o( the !nnual #eport $ould 0e
sent to 0oth a0sent M; 'e'0ers, and to Danny Zinkus-Sutton $ho $ould also %et the ne$
'e'0ers list.
3he ne4t meeting o" the Management Board 5ill be on 60
th
2ctober 20121